Common raise amounts?

[AmyB]

To summarize my current situation, I graduated nursing school in May 2005, passed boards June 2005, and began working part time Sept 2005 at a local LTC facility. Apparently after one years time, employees receive a raise - mine was a whopping 3%. I relate well with the other staff members and residents. The only disciplinary action taken against me during this first year was a write up over a minor incident.

My question here is how much was your first raise and how long did your facility wait to give it to you? Is 3% common, or should I look for other employment where nurses are more valued?

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I've worked in many places..for large corporations and privately owned facilities....

One place decided how much raise we were going to get and made our annual review fit that (I don't work there anymore). At one place, everyone--the worst employees in the building and the best--got 3%. (I don't work there anymore)

The place I'm at now, the raises are truly based on merit, but cap out at 4%. The only difference is, they will give a raise to a wonderful employee and not count that as an annual raise, so if effect, the best and brightest can get 8%. OKAY so this is what they tell me, but I haven't heard of anyone actually getting 8%. Raises and salaries are pretty standard region to region.

Good luck.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

how about 22 cents an hour. everyone at my facility cries about how awful our raises are.

[nurseangel31_03]

I work in a rural area and there was a 2-3 year peroid that no one got raises. Are place gives an overall 3%. How that works is that they take the amount of salary and hourly payed and take 3% of that and didvided it up and say that we all get 3%, but some get more and some get lease then 3 % it just depends on what you where making. The ones that made less money may have got a 4-6% and some got 1%.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Over many years, the inflation rate averages around 3%. Some years it's a little lower, some a little higher. So that's a starting point -- a pretty typical average yearly raise. To get a little more than inflation, either you need to get 3% during years when the inflation rate is a little lower and/or there needs to be an ocassional salary adjustment in addition to an annual "cost of living" raise.

At my hospital, we all just got an annual cost of living raise (COLA) of 3%. We also get a salary review each year that looks at our pay range compared to other employers in the area and get an addition adjustment if appropriate. Most years, that does not give us an additional raise. But every few years, we get an additional 1-3% to bring us in line with other employers in the area IF the review shows that we have fallen behind.

So ... all in all ... 3% is fairly typical, but not outstanding. If you like your job, keep it. An additional 1 or 2% is not worth leaving a good job for. If you hate your job, then leave. No amount of money is worth being miserable for. Life is too short. A few percent shouldn't be what determines your decision.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

llg advice right on the mark....as usual. :wink2:

Home care makes pittence profit compared to other healthcare areas so 2.5 to 3% raise annually for office staff; field staff may get 4%.

Bonus given to field staff who pick up extra cases during shortage area.

Department mgrs before me kept raise on 2.5% side for nurses too...so after 10 yrs my staff were making $6.00/less per hr than field staff. (they don't have car expenses or headaches from driving... in an office). When 2 persons retired became impossible to hire RN on wages I was told to offer by HR; asked for salary review. Was able to get $3.00/hr increase mid year for ALL nursing staff.

One new clerk brought on at lowest rate as their first job, one year later was out performing all others; They agreed to work 12 N to 8:30PM to meet dept needs, took on additional responsibilites. Starting wage by health system was raised $2.00/hr ----so they got unheard of 10% raise which my Boss (report to CFO :kiss ) wanted them to have----HR balked "we can't do that" ; CFO said "that's the rate I want this employee to have."

Guess who won.

[Markthemalenurse]

The most I ever got was a 5% COLA raise, mostly it 2% to 3%.

[MQ Edna]

I graduated 8/05 and began working 10/05. The hospital where I work places all new grads in a 2 year program where performance is measured by pre-determined skill levels and raises are based on achieving the skills in each level. We meet with the NM in February and August to determine what "level" of skill has been achieved. Raises are given twice a year based on the descretion of the administration.

After working one year and meeting skills for levels I & II I have ended up with a 1.00 an hour raise which figures out to a little over 4%. I also received a small "retention bonus" raise figured in to this as well. My August meeting with the NM produced a raise of .10 an hour! But when everything is added up I guess 4% isn't too bad of a raise for a new grad (over the year)

[donmomofnine]

I am budgeted from 0-4%. Any disciplinary issues at the time of the eval leads to goal development and a chance to get a "good raise" if goals are met in 30 days. This is better, I think, than no raise at all for minimal performers. Top performers get 3%. They get the 4% if they meet my "goal of the year for all staff". This year the goal is joining a culture change related task force.

[Midwest4me]

One place I worked gave me a 7% increase mid-year; this was AFTER the 3% increase earlier in the year---that was SO NICE!!!! The government agency I now work for averages 4% per year(each salary step is about 4% higher than the last salary)WHEN the raises are given---we went 2 years without any kind of raise.

[dotty865]

The LTC I work at usually gives 2-4% raises each year. Most of the nurses get a 3% raise . The other staff are unionized and in their contract they agreed to a 2.5 % raise the first year (last year ) and a 2 % raise the next 2 years.

[dotty865]

The LTC that I work at gives the nurses anywhere from 2-4 % raises. With most of them being 3 %.